Sixth Form Courses

As with our proposed Key Stage 4 Curriculum this is provisional at this stage, because options and courses are currently changing and developing both nationally and locally.

We intend to provide A level and equivalent courses that would enable the majority of our students who wished to stay on at our school with the options and pathways they need to go on to Higher Education. We would do this as part of the local post 16 partnership and expect that some courses might be provided by other schools and colleges just as we might provide specialist courses to students at other schools.

Choosing the right courses is clearly crucial to success in the Sixth Form. For some of you this will be easy, as your talents lie in a particular area of the curriculum. For others, there could be a range of subjects, all of which appeal to you.

When you choose St Andrew the Apostle Sixth Form, or perhaps just considering it, a member of staff will talk with you about your higher education and career aspirations. They will then advise you about suitable courses in the Sixth Form.Nevertheless, this task is a shared one.

If you have a particular university course in mind, then look at the entry requirements to help you make an informed choice. Remember too that some courses are so over-subscribed that even having three A grades might not be enough to secure a place, so choosing a subject which you like, but don’t usually score very highly in, could damage your chances of getting in.

Vocational pathways at Level 3 will be decided according to the needs and aspirations of the cohort and to integrate with the developing pattern of local post 16 provision.

For some students, who are not immediately ready for Level 3 further education, we will offer appropriate pathways to enable them to progress to level 3 courses in our Sixth Form or to other local Further Education

These are exactly the kind of issues and options we will discuss with you before you make your final choice. This task is a shared one.

Entry Requirements

We expect students entering the Sixth Form to achieve five GCSEs at A*/9 to C/5 including English Language and Maths. For those taking three A Levels, students need eight GCSEs at A*/9 to C/5.

Students must then meet the specific entry requirements of each course (usually a 6 or equivalent at GCSE).

“The thing I am looking forward to about the 6th Form hereis the ability to specialise in my best subjects.” Founding Student

Please note: There are national changes to GCSEs this year. St Andrew the Apostle School, like all schools, will be adjusting entry requirements in the light of national average outcomes i.e. requirements may be lower; and grade 4 rather than grade 5 may count as the qualifying grade for entry.